Shrimp, Lobster, and Cockroaches – One Happy Family

In today’s day and age, people immediately cringe at the thought of eating dogs, cats, and cockroaches — but things like shrimp, lobster, and swine’s flesh are considered desirable.

Why is that?

The fact of the matter is, all of these things are clearly identified in Leviticus 11 as being unclean and an abomination to our Father. He created all things to serve a specific purpose, but not everything is to be considered food for man.

Leviticus 11:11 “They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination.”

Keepin’ it All in the Family

One fact that many people are completely unaware of is that shrimp, lobster, and cockroaches are all related. As crazy as it sounds, it’s true — they are all a part of the phylum Arthropoda, invertebrate animals which have jointed appendages, segmented bodies, and exoskeletons (external skeletons). They are known to spread severe disease to humans, livestock, and crops, and they are important members of marine, freshwater, land, and air ecosystems as they play the role of garbage collectors.

If we are what we eat, then common sense should tell us that eating the flesh of animals which were created to consume waste and toxins is probably not the greatest idea ever. Yet today, despite the fact that science now confirms what Scripture has told us for thousands of years, we still see believers who continue to eat that which we’re specifically instructed not to.

A Shocking Discovery

Since coming to the realization that the Torah’s dietary instructions have not been done away with, our family has shared the truth of these matters with nearly everyone we know — Christians and non-Christians alike.

What has been most shocking to us, is that non-believers have taken these facts much more seriously than those who claim to love and live by the Word of Yah. Believe it or not, we actually have non-Christian friends and family who have eliminated many of these things from their diets, yet those who own Bibles and claim to love YHWH continue to live in rebellion because they falsely believe they have “freedom in Jesus” to live a consequence-free, lawless lifestyle.

This has been startling to see firsthand, and Scripture tells us that the day is fast approaching when YHWH will bring swift and sudden judgement on the earth’s inhabitants for walking stiff-necked, according to their own fleshly desires…

Isaiah 65:2 “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on altars of brick; 4 Who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the tombs; who eat swine’s flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;”

Isaiah 66:15 For behold, YHWH will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword YHWH will judge all flesh; and the slain of YHWH shall be many. 17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,” says YHWH.

But Didn’t Jesus Make All Things Clean?

For centuries, we’ve been taught by the church fathers that Jesus came to make all things clean, but is that really what Scripture tells us? Did our Messiah’s sacrifice on the cross magically make the flesh of rodents and swine nutritious, or have we built this position on the backs of a few grossly misinterpreted proof-texts?

Mark 7:19 “For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)”

Mark 7 is one of the most popularly used proof-texts to support the position that we can now eat whatever our flesh desires, but a careful reading of the passage reveals that it has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of clean and unclean animals. The entire chapter is about eating food with unwashed hands, a tradition and commandment of men that is nowhere to be found in the Torah. Futhermore, “In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean” is not even in the original text — it was merely added by translators who were pushing a doctrinal agenda and it’s in direct violation to the clear instructions of our Father…

Deuteronomy 4:2 “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you.”

YHWH Does Not Change

We serve a Creator that does not change. Eating what was not created to be food was an abomination in the beginning, it is an abomination today, and it will also be in the very last days. The Word is very clear on this subject, and it is imperative that we don’t inject our own feelings and biases into Scripture in an attempt to twist the Word and make it appear to say whatever we want.

119 Ministries has released a series of short videos on the topic of Yah’s dietary guidelines, and they do a wonderful job of addressing the most commonly-used passages used to argue that we’re now permitted to eat anything and everything. They’re great for forwarding to friends and family, and as with all of 119’s teachings, are based solely on Scripture. Enjoy…

Thanks ever so much for posting. My mother became a believer in Yeshua when I was one or two. She loved God’s word and came out of many Gentile ways. Holiday’s, foods etc. It has been difficult at time’s for me, not fulling understanding the way until I was an adult and had to choose. Sometime’s it is lonely in this walk of knowledge when the christian world doesn’t hear any of this truth. Amen to FB and the site’s I have found to re-affirm G-d is good and faithful, giving confirmation to those who have ears to hear. Shalom, G-d bless.

Shalom Rebekah, thanks for sharing a bit of your testimony. Know that you are not alone in this walk and that more of our brothers and sisters are waking up to the Truth every day. May the Father continue to lead you and guide you in all you do!

Jason, thanks for the above information. I have become a Kosher eater for a while now and can remember when I could eat my weight in lobster, shrimp and pork. I had a blemish problem at that time. Since giving up what Yahweh calls his bottom dwellers (earth cleaners) my skin is smooth as silk and feels great. I am a Torah observant Messianic and will follow His Word till…………well, till………

Hey, there are some exceptions to the “no arthropod” rule. Locusts and grasshoppers are kosher. (Lev. 11:20-23) Unfortunately, I have not been able to find them in the grocery store and I would like to know what they taste like.

I love that so many more people are interested in KNOWING INTIMATELY what Yehovah desires. But sadly there are so many people who claim to know and LOVE God who refuse to even listen to what the bible teaches. They prefer the traditions of men or look for loopholes to have freedom in areas we never should have freedom.

Seeking Yehovah with A L L our heart mind strength and soul will allow the Holy Spirit to teach us. Anytime someone justifies rebellion there is a block in the flow of the Spirit. Thank you so very much for plainly showing truth.

Its so hard for me being 17 and finding the truth and having my parents not only not support me but mock me and call me a Muslim or Jehovah witness. Every so called “holiday” they celebrate and ingest swine. Its extremely difficult going through this alone. But knowing that there are always newcomers helps me fight through it.

That is a very disappointing thing to have to go through, but stay strong and continue to seek and walk in Yah’s Truth. Allow your family to see the true joy and shalom that comes from walking in obedience to the Father’s Word…

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” -Matthew 10:37

If there is anything that I can do to help you or encourage you, please let me know.

Thank you Jason for this posting, it is a great encouragement to me. I am a Christian, but I’m the only one in my family (to my knowledge) that doesn’t believe that it’s OK to eat everything, and that there is good reason why our Creator said not to eat certain things. I came across your site while searching for similarities between roaches and shellfish. I know this was not accidental. This is a wonderful site, and I will bookmark it to help me increase my knowledge about God’s wishes for us. I believe as Christ said he came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. Shalom!

Shalom Nathan, thank you so much for your comment. It is such a blessing to hear of your heartfelt desire to please the Father above all things, and I pray that He will continue to lead you and guide you with every step you make.

Shalom Diana! In the previous verse, we are given the important instruction that sacrifices are not to be offered in any place we choose. They must be done where YHWH chooses — in the Temple in Yerushalayim. Verse 15 is simply telling us that we are permitted to slaughter meat for our own consumption wherever we choose, and that anyone (in a clean or unclean state) may eat of it.

It is sad that so many think that Yahweh’s word are nothing but traditions that can be set aside. I thank Ruach HaKodesh that he guides me as in Psalm 119. Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Yahweh is the same yesterday, today and forever…He never changes. What has happened before will happen again.

But it says very clearly in the Word in Romans 10:4: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Yeshua is our new High Priest and executor of the ‘better covenant’, that is, better than the Law in that He accomplished the Law and now has established the new covenant built on His sacrifice and on His grace. Hebrews 7:23-24: “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.”

Thus, while we CAN keep kosher and observe the feasts etc. as Christians (and the benefit and beauty of these things NOTWITHSTANDING), we don’t HAVE to and certainly shouldn’t feel obligated too either. The whole book of Galatians is nearly about this very issue, too, in regard to the ‘Judaizers’ who maintained the Church should observe things like circumcision, not eating with Gentiles and the like.

Before we look at Romans 10:4, here are two very important questions for you to answer:

1. Have heaven and earth passed away?

2. Has all been fulfilled?

In Matthew 5:17-19, Yeshua Messiah warned us not even to think that He came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets, and that until (1) heaven and earth pass away and (2) all is fullfilled, not the smallest stroke of a letter will pass from the Torah. Knowing this, there are two possibilities when we come to some of these “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:14-17) passages penned by Paul:

1. Paul is a false prophet who taught doctrine contrary to the Torah, Prophets, and Yeshua Messiah.

2. We are misunderstanding Paul (due to a poor translation, 2,000 years removed from the culture and context, etc.) and need to study to show ourselves approved.

In Romans 10:4, let’s focus on the Greek word which has been translated into your Bible as “end”:

Strong’s G5056: τέλος/telos; from a primary τέλλω tellō; to set out for a definite point or goal

Yeshua Messiah came as our perfect example — the One who we are to follow in life. 1 John 2:6 tells us that those who abide in Him, must walk just as He walked. Yeshua is the “goal” that we are to aim for in this life, and He walked in perfect obedience to the commandments of YHWH. He did not “come to do it for us so we don’t have to”, He came to set the example we’re to follow.

Remember, if Yeshua, Paul, or anyone else for that matter are teaching people not to walk in obedience to the “everlasting” commandments of YHWH, they instantly fail the Deuteronomy 13 test in epic fashion and are fully qualified as a false prophet or teacher.

When you have some time, please consider going through the “The Pauline Paradox” series which presents the “hard to understand” writings of Paul in their proper context. I believe much will be clarified for you…

Very compelling stuff. I am one that is slow to get on board but when I do it is hard to change my mind. As such I have a few questions for you as I question thing and test them myself:

1. How do you deal with 1 Cor 10 verses 25-28 in particular. I realize the context here is about food sacrificed to idols however in the Corinthian context pigs could have very well been available at these markets.
2. This leads me to my second question about to what extent do you live out Leviticus 11? The food part is very straight forward in terms of what is permissible, how does the latter part practically get lived out? The teaching I have been reading/ listening to focuses heavily on the what but not the how and seems to be left out all together when it comes to this topic.

1. In 1 Corinthians 10:25-28, Paul is addressing the issue of whether or not meat being sold in the markets (of clean animals) has been previously offered to idols. The passage has nothing to do with eating the flesh of rats, bats, hogs, and frogs.

2. We live out the instructions of Leviticus 11 by examining the ingredients of products being sold, as well as being mindful of how our food is prepared. For example, we know that gelatin comes from pigs, so anything with “gelatin” on the label is obviously off-limits unless it is specifically stated to be sourced from a clean animal. Gummi bears, jello, some chewing gum, most gelcap (gelatin capsule) nutritional supplements, etc. are all unclean and not to be consumed, so we have a responsibility to educate ourselves and become more conscious about what goes into our mouths. Secondly, a burger cooked on a grill that was just used for pork ribs is unclean — this is something else that needs to be taken into consideration.

As with any other changes that you make in your life, this becomes “automatic” once you make the switch and get settled in to the new routine. I am so grateful that we have been blessed with these wonderful instructions, they are for our own benefit!

I am having a discussion with someone about using lard as one of the oil bases in homemade soap. It is my conviction that the lard based soap would be unclean – and that, because our skin is our largest organ, we would be absorbing (thus consuming) the lard. I have been assured that when the lard is heated it changes its form and becomes a salt – and is thus no longer pork.

Are you familiar with any scripture that would help me understand how far one should take the dietary laws without becoming legalistic?

Shalom Shirley! There is a lot of debate on this, but our family does not use soaps that are made with pig fat…

The Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit) is given to us as a helper for properly understanding and applying Yah’s instructions to our lives. As we study and meditate on His Word, He will lead us and guide us into all Truth! At the heart of our obedience should be a desire to do everything that He asks of us because we truly love Him — this is in no way “legalism”, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

That is so gross I stopped eating shell fish and swine 18 years ago and will never eat them again. I realize that this is against the teachings of God and my son getting very sick from eating pork.. Thank you for sharing.